Award: Small Parks Promoter of the Year & Sighting of the Year - Small Creatures and Insects (2013)Joined: Tue Jan 26, 2010 7:02 pmPosts: 3298Location: Bellville, Cape TownFAC Member (2014)

From Skukuza we took the H4-1 to Lower Sabie where we stayed 2 nights. On the road we had some great sightings.On one of the loops next to the Sabie river, some impies

Just before Nkulu picnic spot this Olive grass snake was doing some sliding manoeuvres all on one place on the tar road and did not move off into the grass, but stayed on the one location.

At Nkulu picnic spot, the resident trouble makers...

Spotted an Arrow marked babbler

Then the action started, first a road block, but we could not see why and then at last saw only some spots. A selfish family with no camera equipment whatsoever positioned themselves so that nobody could have a view of the leopard with a kill in a tree next to the Sabie river. Everyone was getting extremely frustrated with this family as they just sat there as if they were planted and even the SANP guides requested them to move, but they ignored them totally. So we decided to rather drive on...

We were rewarded with great sighting of some lions on the riverbank.

The evening at Lower Sabie was equisite as it was also a full moon night.First the sunset...

Fortunately, I brought my tripod with and got this nice shot of the moon from the camp.

On this note, we ended another breath taking day in Kruger - the fires all smoking hot...

The next morning we went on the Bush Walk as I have shared on page 50 of this TR. Mlondozi dam has become a special place for us as we enjoyed a variety of sightings... to be continued.

Award: Small Parks Promoter of the Year & Sighting of the Year - Small Creatures and Insects (2013)Joined: Tue Jan 26, 2010 7:02 pmPosts: 3298Location: Bellville, Cape TownFAC Member (2014)

I guess what makes Lower Sabie even more popular is that the west, the south and northern areas each provides one with unique sightings. During our visit to the north i.e. Mlondozi dam, some great bird sightings were seen.

Here are the view from the picnic spot looking down at the Mlondozi dam. While spending time here, absorbing the smells of the fried eggs and bacon of the visitors, we enjoyed quite a variety of sightings, waterbuck , herd of buffalo at the back side of the picnic spot, some ellies, all coming down to drink water.

But the stars of the show were the abundance of bird life.Red-backed shrike

Blue waxbill

Jameson's firefinch

Wahlberg's eagle

Back on the road we spotted this Crowned lapwing on eggs and a small chick making its appearance.

A close up of a Waterbuck worth sharing.

We also visited the section towards Crocodile bridge a few times and got some great sightings which will be shared in the next posting...to be continued, then we off to Berg en Dal and then Pretoriuskop for further great sightings.

Award: Small Parks Promoter of the Year & Sighting of the Year - Small Creatures and Insects (2013)Joined: Tue Jan 26, 2010 7:02 pmPosts: 3298Location: Bellville, Cape TownFAC Member (2014)

While staying at Lower Sabie we visited the southern area twice and enjoyed some great moments for example at Hippo Pools some Egyptian geese were with their chicks in the water - makes for nice family pic

Our first White fronted bee-eater also making his appearance at Hippo Pools.

Then a mongoose stopping to see what is going on behind him.

One of our favourite stops are the viewpoint on the S108 overlooking the Gayisenga waterhole located in the Bume river. We stopped their twice in the two days and each time, plenty of animals coming down to have a drink. While sitting their under the trees, a variety of birds making their presence known.On the one occasion we saw some giraffe drinking from the waterhole and a young elephant also joining in, but not for long as he sucked up some water, stood back and sprayed the giraffe with it so it could move off. It was so hilarious to see the interaction. Here are they drinking water together.

On another occasion the waterhole with a variety of animals there.

At Mpondo dam on S102, we spotted this Blacksmith lapwing with its chick following her.

And then this beautiful Brown snake-eagle seen on our way back to the camp.

The next day we went to Berg en Dal for another two nights where we also had some memorable sightings...to be continued.

Award: Small Parks Promoter of the Year & Sighting of the Year - Small Creatures and Insects (2013)Joined: Tue Jan 26, 2010 7:02 pmPosts: 3298Location: Bellville, Cape TownFAC Member (2014)

During our 2 days stay at Beg en Dal, some great sightings were captured. On our way to the Gardenia hide, we spotted a car watching something in a tree in a distance, so we enquired. We could not believe our eyes as we were rewarded with great leopard sighting.

Thinking back to our encounter a few days earlier where the one person did not want to move so we all could have a view of the LIT with kill. It seemed as if he went head banging somewhere...or must have had quite a head ache.

We did the Matjulu S110 and spotted some lions sleeping with some cubs playing around. They were just to far, but the next morning on our way to Afsaal, some entertained us by walking in the road next to us.

On our way back from Afsaal, we tried the Steilberg loop or S120 where a Lilac breasted roller was busy hunting.

Berg and Dal was kind to us, hence worth sharing some more interesting sighting from the area....to be continued.

Award: Small Parks Promoter of the Year & Sighting of the Year - Small Creatures and Insects (2013)Joined: Tue Jan 26, 2010 7:02 pmPosts: 3298Location: Bellville, Cape TownFAC Member (2014)

From Berg 'n Dal we travelled to Pretoriuskop for 2 nights and another first for us to stay at this camp. We were also spoilt for excellent sightings worth sharing. Here are a few highlights.

We did a late afternoon drive and spotted this African Harrier-hawk with lizard kill.

The next morning we did the H1-1 and at Shitlhave dam got some great bird sightings.A Brown-hooded kingfisher

Then a Woolly-necked stork...

...and a Saddle-billed stork.

At the intersection between H1-1 and H1-3 a roadblock and then in the distance a leopard lying under a tree.

The next day we also drove this road and suddenly a leopard appearing from nowhere out of the bush and walked in front of us across the road.

Back at the camp, the moon shining brightly through the trees.

As mentioned, these were just a few special moments we captured during our stay at Pretoriuskop which also brought an end to our September 2010 or our only 2nd trip to Kruger. The rest is history as you could see from page 1 of this TR.

One of my special pics which carries a lot of emotion and is so Kruger is this Impala being groomed by Red-billed oxpecker.

Thank you to every one that took the time in reading this TR and also the extended sections of our Dec'11 and Sep'10 trip. Thank you to all for the kind comments and all the support in encouraging me to share our experiences.

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